The Need to Avenge
by crayonboxromance
Summary: Loki thought he had found something, someone, better than revenge. But then that person was taken from him he promises to burn the world with her by his side. Sequel to 'The Need to Pretend.'
1. Chapter 1

_Okay so I'm back! In a hurry I might add!  
>Watched Cap'n America last night! Awesome if a little long :D<br>But the Avengers trailer... GAWHHHH! LOKI HAIR! Although Thor hair? WHAT IS THAT? It hurts me, that hair._

_Anyway this is a messy first chapter  
>but it'll get better :)<br>Although I have to admit that it's a WIP!_

_And I hope the people who enjoyed The Need to Pretend enjoy this one too :)  
><em>

* * *

><p>Maxine Dwyer with her long, soft brown hair and wide brown eyes now looked at Loki Odinson with a childlike but fearful trust. Her memories of that week were taking a long time to be recovered but the feelings they shared had remained. However, most of her others were slowly returning. The memory loss was sporadic at best, with very random chunks missing along with last month. She remembered that she worked for SHIELD and had willingly told him about the job. She didn't work for them often, hired straight out of college as a classical linguist and had worked with them twice in the years since. In spite of all of the soldier training that she had received Max probably would've forgotten she worked for them had they not been keeping tabs and deposited a nice little amount of money in her bank every month to keep her quiet.<p>

Loki, calling himself John Smith as he knew that to be a common name, had dropped her off at her family's house and told them everything that had happened. Naturally Max had known her family immediately and they didn't believe Loki's story because Max was handling it so well until Max had asked after her mother, not remembering that her mother had left. A ripple of shock swept through the family who angrily blamed SHIELD and vowed to never let her be found by them again. Grandma Ivy had insisted Loki stay for the night on the premise that Max be kept safe but Loki knew he couldn't, just in case. Besides, he had a scientist to find. So he'd left, checking in every now and then.

For two days there had been no interruption in the rehabilitation of Max. Many things she could remember but some of the major things were totally missing. She had to be taught to ride a bike once more, needed a little nudging with learning to swim and she struggled to read again, one of her greatest passions. The entire family helped though, patiently and calmly, recognizing her childlike state.

On the third day however Nick Fury landed on their doorstep accompanied by a scowling man tenderly holding a bow and arrow. Luckily, as this was the day that Grandma Ivy and Jess, Max's sister, were helping her rediscover books, Max painted a harmless picture, cross-legged on a beanbag frowning heavily at a book as she stammered her way through it.

"Hello Maxine." Nick Fury approached the frustrated woman. Max looked up with her brow knitted together but it broke into a pleasant but bland smile.

"Oh hello." She extended her hand which Fury shook gingerly, "Do I know you? I'm sorry if I do. I have this amnesia thing you see. I'm trying to learn to read again, it's going okay. I've been told this book is my favourite and I can see why! Mr Rochester is delightful!"

"We've met before." You could see the pleasure and genuine surprise in Fury's face that the drug had worked, maybe not like they had thought, but her memory was clearly impaired. SHIELD didn't have to worry about anything from Maxine Dwyer, "I must ask you to answer this one question. Do you know where Loki is?"

"Loki?" Unfortunately for Loki and to the general discomfort of Grandma Ivy who felt that Loki's role should not have been negated in the way it had been, Max's querying tone was genuine. She only knew Loki as John Smith, the kind man who had dropped her off and sent her get well flowers of the most beautiful kind. The children remembered them as the Magic Man's flowers, from Asgard many people had said. Loki sent them to remind her that he was still there despite preparing his plan for Eric Selvig. Ivy stepped forward tentatively,

"Sir? Loki dropped her off here, told us she'd lost most of her memory and disappeared again." Luckily this was all true. They all knew Loki was around, dropping off the flowers personally and most likely checking in on Max but he remained invisible, knowing it to be safer for everyone.

"What will you do now?" Fury ignored the old woman who bristled but said nothing more. There was a certain gravitas about this man, you could not disrespect him. Max glanced up at him again having renewed interest in her book, this man didn't interest her and her mind was now stuck on trying to find out who Loki was, suspecting John Smith of course.

"Well I can't go back to my job. I don't remember any of it and it'll take forever to get my memory back to what it was. However this happened," she'd been told but warned never to mention it, "it has totally ruined my life." There wasn't even a flicker of regret neither in Nick Fury's face nor in the man next to him who had been glancing around suspiciously for the past ten minutes, fingers itching to fire the bow, "so I guess I'll stay here until I remember how to drive and then travel cross-country. Family stops you know, see if I can get any other memories. I was on a road trip before I think? Maybe going on one again will nudge something in to place?"

There were more questions, interrogating Max's childlike innocence like there was nothing to damage. There wasn't anymore, it was already damaged, Loki supposed as he watched through the glass doors that led to the garden. Naturally he had been there the entire time, watching and making sure everything went according to his plan. Everything was in place for him to take over Selvig and keep him under his control even when Loki was away. Now all he needed was Max to accept to be his cover and remember how angry she was at SHIELD, needed her to want revenge as much as he did. He'd wanted to wait until her memory had fully recovered by itself as that was the only cure according to the SHIELD files he had stolen but he couldn't anymore. He'd have to use his magic.

Finally, finally Nick Fury and his cohort left with the archer glancing around once more, loyal soldier down to a tee. Bemused Max stood up, opened the glass pane that was separating them and sighed a little. Her expression was that she was missing something and her gaze passed right over him. Loki didn't do anything however but waited patiently. He'd have to wait until she was by herself which, considering her family, lovely as they were, was damn near impossible.

It wasn't until a week later that her family had allowed her to wonder free from restraints. Most of her memories had returned to her, she just needed the final nudge to make everything fall into place once more. There was a small patch of garden that had been hidden away, a piece of English garden paradise that Max's grandfather used to tend. Max had sat, curled up on one of the benches, with a book, past diaries, anything. She loved her family dearly but she was feeling slightly claustrophobic. This time was no different except it was midnight and she had only come out because she couldn't sleep. She sighed again and made a move to sit on a bench. However, as she sat, she collided with someone who quickly covered her mouth to stop her from squealing in fright. Then strong but skinny arms wrapped themselves around her. Instantly she recognised her captor as soon as he spoke her name,

"Hello Max." His lips brushed against her ear making her shiver in that way that always delighted him. She turned to him with those childlike, trusting eyes. There was a silence as she shifted in his lap to turn to face him, eyes staring at his face, recommitting it to memory. Then slowly he captured her lips with his.

"OW!" Max reeled backwards, clutching her head, falling ungracefully to the floor, "what the _hell_ are you doing Loki? That hurt like hell! What the flying fuck was that?" Still clutching her head she glared up at him, the happiness that he was there with her and her anger mixed. Loki's face stretched into a small smile and a brief husky chuckle. Ah how well she remembered that strawberry chocolate voice… Wait…

"Are you going to come with me Max?" Loki stood up and held out his large hand for her to take if she wanted. Max smirked.

What kind of question was that?


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay so a bit longer to update but here it is!  
>Oh! And I think I may need a beta because I am a grammatical train wreck!<em>

_Here are the thank-yous for all of your wonderful reviews! I didn't know there'd be so many :D  
><strong>dragonrain618<strong> (maybe even a trilogy!)  
><strong>juli 8D1819 <strong>(welcome to the merry ship of fools :)  
><strong>megumisakura <strong>(sorry it was a bit late.)  
><strong>Labyrinth Fan 23 <strong>(post it! Now! I could never write 37 chapters! I'm impressed :D  
><strong>TheInvincibleNerd <strong>(thank you very much!)  
>and of course<br>**Keeper-of-the-Cheese** (followw meeee! And I'll follow you!)_

_I'm bringing Thor in to this too!_

* * *

><p>"Look at us! Bonnie and Clyde, Starkweather and Fugate, Natural Born Killers! Except with less film glamour. And less killing. Remember Loki – <em>less<em> _killing_. We are not to kill any more SHIELD agents. After all, they're just puppets following orders." Max exclaimed excitedly as she settled back into the seat of her new convertible car, a gift from her family, and slid her prescription sunglasses on. It was wonderful not to be driving for once. Stuart, her brother, had insisted on teaching Loki how to drive, and Loki had picked it up effortlessly. It had been a pleasant but odd last few weeks with the Dwyer family. Loki had felt it safe enough to return for a while but this time physically changing into Midgard clothes so that everyone would feel more at ease. Family started to vacate the area, their dramatic reunion over, and had to go back to leading normal lives. As Max watched them all drift back to all of their lives with their beautiful, if sometimes annoying children, their nine to five jobs and loving husbands or broken marriages, she did not feel in the slightest way jealous. Loki rested a hand gently on her shoulder also feeling a little sorry that the family were leaving and as she leant back into his body she realised that she would never have that with Loki but she might never want to. However that was a thought she didn't want to dwell on at that for the moment. A lot of being with the God of Mischief was attempting to deny a reality that seemed so far away.

Over the past few weeks Max had rebuilding her skills, Loki had been mastering as many mortal skills as possible to pass off as being Max's normal boyfriend and was even attempting to teach her a little magic. He discovered with great surprise that all mortals were capable of magic; they had just turned their back on it in favour of straight forward science years ago, losing the capability. When they embraced it they could perform a little. Also the couple had been devising a plan for revenge. Regardless of her morals she was above the idea of revenge. It was one of her most delicious sins but she regarded the idea a little more clearly than Loki did. He was blinded by rage, hell-bent on destruction, twisted by past events. If he had his way everyone would die. Max wanted only on Fury and Coulson – give them a taste of their own medicine literally speaking. Using her scientist of a second cousin they were going to attempt to recreate the drug as best they could. Then Loki would create havoc all over the world, using his fantastic teleporting ability, teleporting here and there, stealing random art items or something to distract SHIELD. Finally he would allow himself to be captured by them. Max, who was quickly mastering the art of staying completely hidden, would inject Fury and Coulson with the drug. Naturally they both knew it could only end in tears. Neither of them wished to discuss this though, intent only on their revenge. Loki very much wanted to remove Max's memory of him, himself, so that she could return to leading her normal life. Max wanted to go down with the ship, completely terrified that she might return to the same boring, staid life that Loki wanted to her go back to of only a month and a half ago. It was hard to imagine that she hadn't known her impish God all that long when, hopeless romantic that she was, she felt that her life had truly begun when she'd picked Loki up in the middle of that deserted road. It would probably end with him too but once again Max didn't want to dwell on that fact either.

"No more killing." Loki nodded patiently waiting for her to strap in so that they could begin their road trip, together this time. Like it should've been from the beginning. Loki still wasn't sure what was happening between him and Max, it had all moved so fast, especially for someone who had seen eternity and regarded time as a slow-moving vehicle. However he knew for certain that she had definitely changed his desire for revenge. He still wished it upon Odin, more so than Thor admittedly realising Thor to be innocent of most things but arrogance but it was Odin who had wilfully lied to him all of these years. But now he was more focussed on SHIELD. But through it all, one thing hadn't changed. That he still thought he was right to try and kill Jotunheim. That would never change. And it was the one thing he would never tell Max, knowing she would be horrified.

For a while they didn't speak to each other after that so the first day of travelling was quiet. Max was intent on making new memories to fill in her still quite fuzzy mind so she stared intensely out of the window, narrowing her eyes as points of interest. She memorized all of the signs that passed them, the types of cars that passed them now they drove during the day and the diners. It was up to Loki to break the silence.

"If I was not banished I would like to take you to the Eternal Realm. Regardless of my parentage it was my home. With all of its golden cities and beauty. I rarely left the palace city but my wife Sigyn and I held a small holding in the country." Loki announced sort of wistfully. This was the first time he'd mentioned Asgard, let alone a future with them, and for a moment he was briefly overcome with misty eyed nostalgia. Say what he wanted he did love Asgard, the land of eternal summer. No other realm could warm the chill of his blood. It truly was the most beautiful realm of Yggdrasil, with Vanaheim, land of the gods and goddesses of beauty, coming a close second. Sigyn had been Vanir, fragile and beautiful enough to weep at. Therefore not Loki's type although he had continued to romance her knowing Odin would like a son married. In the end the marriage was annulled as Sigyn was too fragile to compete with him. If he'd expected Max to be shocked at the news that he had been married he'd have been wrong. It seems that her Classic training remained. After all, Loki's kiss had only restored her thoughts of him.

"If you had never been banished we'd never have met. Would you return if you were forgiven? Do you still want to be King?" These were not the questions he expected, which is what he liked most about her. He shook his head, hair brushing his shoulder. He'd neglected his hair recently but Max had whispered into his ear that she loved the hair; it gave her something to hold on to…

"I never did wish to be King. But I would return if you came with me. So long as the Warriors Three left well enough alone, blind adulators, scurrying around-" His venomous rant about his past 'friends' was interrupted,

"Would your wife mind?" Max suddenly asked, biting out the word _wife_, not hearing anything else and finally letting her jealousy surface. Loki's lips twisted in to a smile and instead of telling her that Sigyn no longer mattered to him he merely shrugged. And so they continued their journey with Max quietly seething and Loki gently twisting the knife.

* * *

><p>Heimdall heard the heavy footsteps of the God of Thunder and future King of Asgard approaching. The same question would be asked tonight again but instead of feeling frustrated Heimdall was oddly touched by Thor's constancy. Today however Heimdall would not tell him of Jane Foster but of someone else entirely,<p>

"Good Heimdall! What do you see?"

"I see Loki." Thor reeled back in shock, almost having to grab Heimdall in a bid to steady himself before a look of confused delight spread across his face. Odin had told Thor of Loki's true parentage and now Thor felt he a little understanding of what drove his brother to such lengths. To rid themselves of that world would make Loki truly 'of Asgard'. Heimdall continued, "He no longer wishes to destroy Jotunheim or to be King. But revenge for his mortal love, by SHIELD. His magic is at work elsewhere but I cannot see it."

"Does he wish to destroy Midgard?"

"No. He now wishes to return here after his revenge."

Thor knew it was imperative he reached Midgard once more.


	3. An author's note I'm so sorry for this!

Hey guys!

This is not a chapter and I always swore I would never be the person who did this! But this is me putting this story on hiatus!

I'm in a horrible phase where I know exactly what's going on.

But I can't _write _it!

I'll probably pick this back up when I have my Thor night of awesome, popcorn and dress up but for now it's a full stop.

Well not a full stop, more of a comma or a semicolon.

And that I'm working on an original fiction right now, exploring the idea of gentle love and a documentary as a story.

BUT I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS!

**Keeper-of-the-Cheese**, **Labyrinth Fan 23, The Invincible Nerd, dragonrain 618 **and **Juli 8D1819**!

Sorry :(

Louisa.

x


	4. Chapter 4

_HELLO LOVELY BIRDS!_

_I am back in a big way all thanks to the new Avengers trailer.  
>I now know exactly how to write what I want to write.<em>

_A little hint as to what is coming/inspiration  
><strong>"every man for himself"<strong>_

_And (what I misheard it as and still an inspiration)  
><strong>"we're all just trying to get by"<strong>_

_do not ask me how i got confused._

_Okay so I disclaim all over the page.  
>Don't own anything recognisable at all :)<em>

_ENJOY PLEASE!_

* * *

><p>The moon was high in the sky by the time Loki finally returned to the hotel room that they had booked for the third night, using Loki's magic money of course. The god in question slipped quietly in to the bed, careful not to disturb the sheets or the sleeping Max and carefully draped his arms around Max's waist. Stirring from the sudden cold that had wrapped itself around her she shuffled to face him bleary eyed, "where have you been?" It took her a good few minutes to try and get the two sentences out and Loki waited patiently until she'd said them knowing a wrong move would make her angry. She'd been hyper sensitive after the whole 'Sigyn is my wife' incident.<p>

"Not killing SHIELD agents." He softly whispered back so as not to wake her from her half-awake stupor. She didn't buy it however and merely turned in his arms to stare him down. Loki knew she wouldn't stop staring even if he tried to get himself to sleep and then it would be impossible, "okay. I have found the Cosmic Cube. It is a containment device of enormous power and with this power I hope to bring Thor to Earth. I want to harness the energy of the Cube." He announced softly, adding bits to the plan that they had forged together. Max quirked her eyebrows in confusion.

"I thought you didn't like your brother?"

"No. I just did not want him to be King. He needed to learn the diplomacy required for such a task." Again she was silent, waiting for him to continue. By now they'd learn to read each other pretty well and she knew when there was more than he was letting on, "that and I would like for him to forgive me."

"What did you do?" Okay so Loki hadn't quite told her everything she needed to know about him. He wanted to keep her from hating him as long as he possibly could. If she took the upcoming news badly there was no hope for her reconciliation to the fact that he'd had practice in attempting to destroy a world.

"I tried to kill him." The truth came out simply but it was harder to say than all of his other truths. It was heavy on his tongue but he kept his face passive, trying to gouge her reaction. To his immense surprise, only expressed through a little crease of his forehead, she smiled _lovingly_. She reached up and stroked his nose with her finger before tapping the tip of it.

"Bad Loki." And with that she snuggled further into him, doing as she always did and trying to warm his cold blood with her heat.

Did she think he was joking?

* * *

><p>The next day they'd decided to stop for the day at a little town in Arizona. Loki had nothing else to do, the plan was going smoothly and the appropriate amount of mischief required to ruffle SHIELD's feathers had been managed. So the couple had decided to be exactly that, a couple. A couple with a never-ending supply of cash, a hyperactive Max and a cautious Loki. He was sticking with the new alias of Oliver Fullers for now and keeping non-descript clothes on, blue shirt, dark jeans. Max was using the alias Maxine Fullers, partly for the sake of the old-fashioned hotel owners, partly because it gave her a secret and disturbing thrill to be Loki's wife, even in fake name only. They had a new alias every town and Max thoroughly enjoyed getting into character. They didn't need it of course but Max had decided that this was going to be an advantage of part having amnesia.<p>

"You do not even need to wear the make-up." Loki frowned at her as the relaxed in the local diner whilst Max fussed with her make up. She gave him a derisive glance from her pocket mirror,

"Is this where you tell me that I look beautiful without it?" Sarcastically she blew a kiss his way with a flirty wink. Well yes, that was partly the reason but now she'd made fun of it he wasn't going to say it,

"You are trying to blend in. Surely make-up would be detrimental to the cause?" Loki still hadn't quite grasped Midgardian fashion, not that he wasn't anything but appreciative for some of them. He was almost positive that they wore make up on Asgard too but he'd never seen it applied or anything. Make-up still eluded him. Him and most males he assumed.

"_Not_ wearing make-up would be weird. _Everyone _wears make-up. It's like a mask or a… highlighter to make women prettier-"

"MAXINE!" A deep and delighted voice broke her explanation of make-up to the bemused god who became even more confused once a large but friendly looking man with sandy hair ambled in to view. Automatically Loki stood up, moved to sit next to Max and extended a long arm at the chair he had just vacated. To anyone else it would've been seen as a polite gesture, to make it easier for the man to talk to Max. But to the couple it was very obviously a power thing, the casually draped arm, the 'relaxed' pose and the sudden need to sit by her.

"_Honey_, you did not tell me you knew someone in this town." Loki's annoyance at this stranger barging in on their privacy was apparent in the venom on the word 'honey'.

"Well _dear_," she elbowed him none so discretely but keeping her fixed, smiling face towards the stranger who just looked at them with a pleasant smile on his face, "I wouldn't know if I did."

"Oh yes, forgive my wife." Max almost gave a small start at the casual way Loki dropped the commitment laced word 'wife' into the conversation but she managed to keep it inside with one of those secret little thrills dancing over her skin and a small mischievous smile, "she was in a car accident about a year ago. I've only just got her to remember me. I'm Oliver by the way." Possessiveness took over Loki as he clutched Max to his side and extended his arm in the Midgardian way. This large but handsome man, hence the jealousy from Loki, merely shook the hand and turned to Max as if instinctively distrusting Loki.

"Yup! It's like we're courting all over again, although I'm told we've been married at least three years. Oh but courting is such a lovely term don't you think?" And so the nervous talking made a return, "such an _old_ term but everyone says I'm stuck in the past don't they dear. It just seemed so much more innocent from the stories my grandfather told me although my grandmother would tell me about the grass stains if you know what I mean. That was before he enlisted in the war effort of course. Never had a chance to go out though, which I'm glad of course. My friend's grandfather was in the war and he was shell-shocked and suffering from PTSD and all sorts. I can't imagine what that would be like can you?"

"Yes." He said softly, a wave of nostalgia washed over his face before he glanced back up, "well I'm very sorry about this, I thought you were a Maxine that I knew from before. Seems that you are a completely different one. But it was nice to meet you, and you Oliver. I hope you get better soon." And with that curious remark he gave a slight bow of his head before slipping out of the booth. As he walked away he heard Maxine ask 'Oliver' to eat up as she wanted to take her husband out shopping.

The man walked out of the diner after paying for his meal before he whipped out a cell phone and pressing and holding the A button as he'd been shown, "I don't think it's them sir. An Oliver and Maxine. Married for three years… Yes sir, I'll follow them anyway… yes sir." And with that Steve Rogers hung up, well aware that he'd just lied to his boss, named Fury for a reason. He didn't know if his actions would have consequences but he knew that the Maxine woman was in more danger than she thought.

Steve Rogers wasn't the only one following the bickering couple however. Heimdall stood with Thor in the Eternal Realm. Thor watched Loki carefully, still under the pretence that he was watching Jane; Odin could not yet know that Loki was alive and had sworn Heimdall to secrecy. Thor paced, half-nervous over Loki's plan, half-excited over the prospect of seeing his brother and Jane again, not to mention his brother's 'wife' and entirely worried about the introduction of Steve Rogers, SHIELD spy.

All he could do was wait. And he cursed it.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guyyyyyys!  
>I would like to thank <strong>Labyrinth Fan 23<br>dragonrain618  
><strong>and_  
><em><strong>Keeper-of-the-Cheese<strong> (as usual ;)_

_I LOVE YOU GUYS!_

_Now you might be a little confused about the introduction of Cap'n America  
>but<br>watch the trailer again and you might get it._

_I'm also using him as a plot device to see if a trilogy could happen next May ;)_

**_BUT ENJOY THIS CHAPTER YES? :D_**

* * *

><p>"Do you want to use the Cosmic Cube first?" Max suddenly asked one night, when they were driving their way up to California to meet her scientist second cousin, "You know, we might want to get the forgiveness from Thor before we really start this crusade. He might be a great help."<p>

Max Dwyer was starting to worry Loki Laufeyson. People generally exaggerated him to be completely cold and callous but there were times when he was concerned for others. Very often he was concerned for Thor; he did love his brother in his own way after all. And now he was concerned for Max. Not only with the flippant, almost joking way, had she accepted the fact that he had attempted to _kill_ his brother but now this. How willingly she was going to _use_ Thor for their revenge. Loki was attracted to her because she was warm, kind and her overwhelming love for humans. He needed her goodness to balance out his schemes; he reined them back in for _her_. If she was changing due her to lack of socialising with humans, becoming poisoned by his neutrality for the lives of others, then Loki would have to push her towards the spy that had been tracking them for a week now.

Steve Rogers, or Captain America as he was known to SHIELD, was made, literally, to be a soldier, not a spy. He was not capable of stealth and the very obvious way in which he'd introduced himself in the diner a week ago only reinforced the idea that he would be the perfect man for Max to start socialising with. He was an altered human but at least he was human, disgustingly _good_, and ready to see that Max was an innocent bystander in all of this when it all ended. SHIELD couldn't have sent a better person. As soon as Rogers got to know Max he'd hear more of the nervous incessant chatter, think her an innocent woman and, even better, not even think about tempting her away from Loki as he was convinced that Max and 'Oliver' are married.

"To use the Cube I am going to need a vast and empty region. The power will be immense. It is best we develop the drug first and then find somewhere like that afterwards." Loki pretended to ponder over the thought for a while before slowly answering. Loki had every intention of not sticking to the plan they'd made together, instead he was going to stick to the one he'd made in his own head. As soon as this drug was made he'd take it, use it for Fury and Coulson like she wanted, but he'd use his magic to make her forget. A drug wore off eventually, his magic would remain.

"I thought you might say that. That's why I was thinking… Vegas! Big desert and all, near here. Then we can get the thing. And umm, since we keep saying that we're married and stuff… how about we, you know, get married? That way we can have proof if you like. Rings, a certificate. All you need is a passport and you can fake that right, I mean-" Max was starting to ramble again as, in her roundabout way, she proposed to the god sitting at her side. In her head she knew she was being ridiculous. Not even a year had they known each other and here she was, suggesting they get married. But instinctively she knew that they didn't have time together left. Who knew what would happen once the plan had ended? SHIELD would clearly get to them, unless they somehow got to Asgard afterwards. Would they even be safe there? Would she be welcome as a mortal? Max had resigned herself to not having a 'normal' life of children, white weddings and big families but at least she could have the marriage, for however short a time.

"Married. How does one get married in this Realm?"

And that was that. There wasn't a straight out yes but like everything Loki it was suddenly a fixed event. Silently he handed Max the map they kept in the glove compartment and pointed at it. And, in sync, without saying any words, they planned their route to Vegas to get married and summon Thor. All in a day's work.

* * *

><p>In Vegas a week later Max left a shop excitedly glowing over her prize. A bumper sticker for the car, handmade. Reading it back to herself with pride she jumped when a familiar deep voice interrupted her 'I'm so awesome' moment.<p>

"Hello again. Fancy seeing you here." Max turned to see the handsome, bulky man from the diner a week ago smiling genially down at her. His smile was sweet and Max couldn't stop herself responding in kind. As much as she loved Loki, and she did, she could admit that now, it was sometimes nice to be around someone who actually smiled, not sneered, "I didn't introduce myself before I'm Steve, Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you again Maxine." He extended one arm towards her. She shook the proffered hand still smiling, "what do you have there?"

"A bumper sticker! This is really an eight-legged horse! Do you know how hard it is to find something that even references the Classics? I have all of these psychology t-shirts but no Classics ones! So I've compromised by getting a bumper sticker for the car printed. Road trip and all, we spend all of our time there, might as well accessorise! Oh sorry, nervous speaking habit around people I don't know. It'll pass I assure you." She giggled and blushed, finally withdrawing her hand from the one that covered all of hers.

"No it's okay. But I tell you what; I know a great shop that is full of t-shirts with writing on. Maybe you can find something in there. Are you busy now?"

"Ummm, nope. You know what, Oliver's busy somewhere. Probably buying a suit or something, we're reaffirming our vows and all. Maybe this time I'll actually remember it!"

What was really happening was that Loki had gone to prepare to use the Cube, which he had stolen from SHIELD and left a well-made duplicate in its place. He'd made havoc deep in the Chinese countryside as a distraction so the switch wasn't discovered until too late. He even had control over the scientist, Selvig, who was the one looking at it. When Loki had finished and had collected Max to watch, he would entreat Heimdall and Thor, who he knew were watching, and then open the Bifrost using the Cube. But right now, with hours remaining before she was introduced to Thor, it wouldn't hurt her to kill time with this man Steve.

Would it?


	6. Chapter 6

_God I'm so bad at this updating thing truly!  
>I'm working on an original at the same time which is on fictionpress if anyone is interested ;)<em>

_I would love to thank everyone though!  
><strong>Keeper-of-the-Cheese <strong>(Elvis should definitely make an appearance I agree!)  
><strong>musician'sluck2010 <strong>(welcome to the fold if you're still here ;)  
><strong>dragonrain618 <strong>(sorry you had to wait so long!)  
><strong>Labyrinth Fan 23 <strong>(haha thank youuuuu! and Loki is BAMF! Forever!)  
><strong>lexicon (<strong>a wonderful anon)  
>and<br>**TheInvincbleKay **(sorry for ruining your awesome comeback with a long non-updating)_

_HOPE YOU LOVE IT!  
><em>

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><p>Her dress was floor-length and possessed definite Asgardian tones she would have thought. It was of a soft material, a sort of burnished gold with all sorts of delicate, barely there Celtic patterns stitched seemingly just beneath the surface. There was a loose belt clinched around the waist, like a small rope. Her shoulders were exposed as the neckline was just off the shoulder. Max didn't really want to admit with Steve there watching her like a hawk for some reason but this type of elegant, gentle dress made her feel really feminine. She eagerly anticipated the look on Loki's face when she showed him; she was planning on wearing it when they used the Cube and to greet Thor. Loki wouldn't display anything but there'd be a flicker of emotion in his eyes before he'd compose himself and possibly lean down to press his lips to hers. It was pleased her to know that she knew him like no other did except maybe Thor, whom they'd hope would witness the Vegas wedding.<p>

The sudden thought of his brother and her meeting for the first time sent a wave of nausea all over her. Steve must have noticed the change in her face from mild blushing delight to a grimacing face as he leapt up and instantly grabbed her as she lost balance from the pedestal.

"Are you okay my dear?" The strawberry chocolate tones of her soon-to-be-husband cut through the scene like an icy knife. Max tilted her head slightly before realising how compromising the situation looked. She'd flung her left arm out and Steve's hand had grabbed it whilst his right hand had grabbed her hip to steady her. Her right hand was pressed on his to steady herself also.

"I had a wave of nausea." The sentence immediately set her on edge and her mind racing. She never suffered from nausea; it was the one thing that never happened to her. She'd had every other type of illness under the sun because all she'd done before was wait to catch them, bored as she was. But nausea had mercifully bypassed her even when she had nerves rolling around in her stomach. Why did she suddenly have it now?

Upon hearing this Loki instantly took after, giving Steve a cool nod. They exchanged a few words with Loki playing the jealous husband down perfectly, part of it probably wasn't acting, and Steve left immediately although you could be sure he'd be following them. It didn't matter as Loki would play the invisible trick, allowing Max to try her newly acquired skill for the first time and he'd be supervising just in case. Finally Loki straightened her (how did she not realise he was wearing that glorious suit of his?) and whispered in to her ear, "its time." He was rewarded with one of those delightful shivers he received when his voice was at the right huskiness.

Colours bounced around the gathering storm clouds. Max's once carefully styled hair whipped around her and her mouth was open, gathering dust, as she watched, impressed at her lover weaving and wielding magic and power like it was nothing. He stood in the middle of the gathering storm with the Cosmic Cube in his hands. The curious thing was that he was entirely blue with glowing red eyes. Oddly this made him all the more attractive somehow. He'd warned her before that using the Cosmic Cube would have _interesting_ side-effects; she could only assume that this was one of them. However she would definitely have to talk to him about this later, see if he could keep it on their wedding night. _Wedding night_. The mere thought would have made her giddy had a massive cylinder of light not burned down from the sky, smashing the floor and making her fall to her knees.

As soon as the storm was over and the tsunami of dust had thoroughly ruined Max's hair a tall, blonde man stood majestic and resplendent in his Asgardian armour. To his credit he didn't even look surprised that he was here. And the first thing he saw was Max's wide eyed gaze from her spot on the floor. She was leaning on her arm with her legs half curled beneath her. Automatically his blonde hair bowed to her, unsurprised at her presence either. There was an awkward silence as Loki somehow made the Cube disappear as Thor turned to face him. There was tension in both of their faces. Loki knew that Thor understood that he was sorry things had turned out the way they did but it had to expressly stated.

"I am sorry Brother." Loki, with an encouraging look from Max who hadn't picked herself up yet, bowed his head as if bowing to a King and not a brother. Thor said nothing but gave him a hearty clap on the back to announce that all was forgiven. Laconic man laconically not talking. Max could hardly handle the testosterone. A brief but sincere smile graced Loki's face before he was back to business once again, "here Brother. I have someone I would like for you to meet." Loki placed his hand on Thor's back and guided him towards Max. He extended his hand and lifted her gracefully to her feet. Instinctively she leant in to him, suddenly all shy, "this is Maxine. My… what is that word Midgardian's use? Fiancée."

Thor took in Max's blushing face and beaming grin as she gazed up at Loki, so overwhelmingly happy at his utterance of the word. He merely bowed once more and made a remark of how lovely it was to meet her before asking the question he really wanted to ask,

"Why did you bring me here Brother?" Thor was not ungrateful and, although he obviously knew he would be brought to Earth, couldn't quite get his head around it. Loki, the proud and misunderstood God, willing to kill an entire race, had brought him to Earth for forgiveness? However his brother did not respond and all was immediately understood. Max stepped forward, clutching her gathered golden skirts, her wedding dress, in her hand and told him,

"Loki would like forgiveness, I would like for you to be a witness at our wedding…"

"I wish to return to Asgard. With Maxine." Loki added hurriedly, "there is that place in the country I used to have with Sigyn. We could stay there and not be any trouble at all. It could be seen as exile if that would sway Father's opinion." Thor couldn't help but note that all through Loki's pleads, the real reason he had been summoned here, Max had a tight grip around his arm quietly, unconsciously reassuring him that she would be ever-present in his life. If he'd let her of course.

Thor was also amused to note that it was always a woman.

Always love to humble a man.


	7. Chapter 7

Back again! Long wait but I had been hoping more people would review.  
>Although it does mean that the two who did go straight to the top of <span>Louisa's List!<span>  
><strong>Keeper-of-the-Cheese<strong> (who else! Here's Elvis ;)  
><strong>Labyrinth Fan 23 <strong>(definitely isn't the end yet, although I fear it might come up soon. I should get some stamina from somewhere!) This is one chapter that I had to split in to two. But right now I have so much university work I want to punch my own face.  
>That bad.<br>Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognisable because if I did, I'd have a Loki/Thor sandwich in my bed and Cap'n America and Iron Man would be married. _  
><em>

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><p>Sometimes the most important moments are in the kernels of silence. The mood tells the truth when the tongue would spin lies. The tell tale signs are in the body language rather than face paced lips. Right now the mood is dismayed grief and the body language is defeated. Max is collapsed against a wall, staring up at her lover with silent tears running down her streaky face. Her nose is red from all of the tears. One hand lies protectively on her stomach and the other is strewn on the floor with her legs twisted underneath her. The wall she's leaning against is close to collapsing like the room they were both encased in. Loki merely stares down at his wife, his perfect face set in that unfeeling mask. Underneath it though she hoped that there was something, something to prove that the past couple of months meant something to her handsome, sad God.<p>

How did they even get to this point? This utter devastation and new emotional voids. Max had cried so much it was if she couldn't feel anything anymore. Not even the comforting thought of Steve coming to take her away. She couldn't even believe that that had turned into a comforting thought. Only yesterday, the day after her wedding, Max had genuinely believed that everything could work out. That Thor the Lovely Puppy could be able to take them up to Asgard where they could live in peace if only for a little while. Max would eventually be cast out for being a mortal but they would have crossed that bridge when they came to it. What had gone so wrong?

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><p>The wedding had been very simple. There was, in true Vegas style, an Elvis impersonator as the minister. The looks on Thor and Loki's faces were priceless but they'd shrugged it off. Thor had donned a simple t-shirt and checked shirt look, favouring that from his time in New Mexico. Loki had gone all out with her favourites, her favourite suit, her favourite scarf and even his hair was a little unkempt. Just how she liked it. It wasn't the perfect wedding Max had envisioned when she was younger with forests and fairy lights. The dress was beautiful but not white and now dirty after the summoning of Thor (the Cube had been returned). The random man, Steve, was sitting there watching with some confusion at the nuptials but deciding not to comment. Max had finally worked out that the man was a SHIELD spy but couldn't find it in herself to hate him. He was a delightfully sweet man, even if he didn't quite understand the complexities of his bosses. And she couldn't blame him for that. There had been a brief 'party' in one of the casinos but no one felt comfortable so they had departed. Thor flew off to New Mexico with his hammer ready to be summoned back when needed; Steve retired to his room for the night leaving Max and Loki finally alone.<p>

And the wedding night. Oh the things she could list about that wedding night. She wouldn't, it made her blush just to think about it. Even the way Loki looked at her in the morning sent her red all over. It wasn't until the morning after she finally managed to say what she wanted,

"Loki... you know when you had the Cube...?" She asked in a whisper, not wanting him to lift his head from where it lay on her bare stomach. His body seemed to vibrate somehow with a contented hum that emanated from his throat. All she got was a tired humming noise, "you were blue." He immediately tensed up and the vibration stopped, "I was wondering..." Immediately her hands went to his hair to calm him down, "if you could do that somehow. Don't judge me but that was probably the hottest thing I have ever seen."

"You..." It was definitely the first time she had seen Loki ever lost for words as he propped himself up and stared at her with an unreadable but emotional expression, "you could accept me as that... _thing_?"

"Thing? Loki, you were, as I said, hot. I don't know why but seriously. I'd just like for you to try it. You were definitely not a _thing_ though." As if to prove her point somehow she grabbed his face, pulled him up and stared him deep in the eye to show that she meant it. She knew this was probably the most important thing to him right now.

"What if I were blue all of the time. What then? Would you want to be seen with me?" There was something new in Loki's voice. He was revealing his deepest insecurity for the first ever time.

"All the time. I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you. I don't know if you've ever seen Underworld but there's this guy that turns blue I think and he's not very attractive but once he goes all hybrid... I mean wow-" And Loki had cut off her nervous moment-ruining rambling with his lips kissing her for the first time like he loved her, really loved her. It had been the perfect night.

And then the night fell. And Max, having discovered some alarming news during the day, suddenly didn't feel safe around Loki anymore. Something had happened in the interim that she couldn't place. She'd gone shopping leaving him in bed a seemingly content and exhausted man. Upon her return he was pacing the floor like a man possessed, hotel a wreck.

"Maxine." He was barely controlling his rage, shaking uncontrollably. Danger and power radiated off of him in a terrifying way. Max automatically pressed herself to the back of the door, the news she'd been about to announce dying on her lips. He approached her leant down and kissed her hard, bruising slightly, "I've changed the plan. I'm destroying SHIELD."

"What... what happened?"

He made no answer. Just stared at her.

Apparently she should already know the answer.


	8. Chapter 8

_please feel free to hate me with reckless abandon!  
>I have no excuses for my silly update time considering this was written.<em>

_well this is the end chapter my loves.  
>And all of you have been fantastic and amazing!<br>A third installment will be up around May time of course ;)  
><em>

_A massive massive thank you to the people who have been with me;  
><strong>Keeper-of-the-Cheese <strong>(I will bring the version of Max's wedding dress that I have to California as a 'you-are-awesome' present :)  
><strong>dragonrain618 <strong>(you are amazing :) I always look forward to your reviews. message me if you want something written for you ;)  
><strong>Labyrinth Fan 23 <strong>(you make me want to update more. but my laziness prevents me :( to reward your everlasting patience i extend to you the same offer :)  
>and finally, although new to this story but not new to me,<br>**opticon217 **(I remember you well and hope you've enjoyed this story as much as you enjoyed my True Blood one :)  
><em>

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><p>It was just pure destruction. Max had seen it happen once before when something had threatened her, threatened him and threatened their happiness together. But now, when nothing should have threatened them, when it should've been a time of nervous happiness and shared fearing joys, it was the worst day of Max's life.<p>

After she'd returned to find the hotel a wreck, clothes ripped, furniture destroyed and nothing but anger in his heaving gait, Loki had tried to go after SHIELD without so much as a plan. No, he would have already formulated a plan, an ornate and ridiculous one; the moment he discovered whatever it was that ignited his rage. Max had grabbed him though, knowing now the mystery of teleportation operated. There was no way he was running from this. Although she feared for safety she was not letting her man run from her. Not now. Loki almost screamed with rage when he realised. He did not want to reveal to his beautiful, odd woman that SHIELD still had designs on her. Awful plans involving her as bait. It was something he could never allow to happen.

"Tell me!" She yelled, frightened and hurt, echoing a tone he'd used in front of Odin. Her words bounced strangely around the room Loki had teleported to in the nearest SHIELD base. The familiarity of her pain almost provoked an honest answer. But in his own form of twisted logic she would never know the torture the company had planned. SHIELD may be for the 'greater good' but they were ruthless and callous to go about it. Evil was evil. Bait was bait.

"_Steve_ will be here shortly." Was his hissed response. Suddenly his heightened hearing made him aware of what was about to happen. He grabbed her neck, pulled her in and planted one last desperate kiss on her lips, trying to convey everything he wasn't telling her. Max knew there was more behind the kiss and his expectant glare showed nothing.

An explosion ripped through the room. Loki tried to save her as the blast tore her from his tight grasp. But she hit the other side of the wall with almost seismic force. Instantly her hands wrapped around her stomach as almost unbearable pain stabbed her all over it. However, her eyes automatically turned to Loki, needing to know if his sudden bout of insatiable anger wasn't some kind of jealously. And that there was still some meaning there to them.

"Loki." Max started to say but he was gone, off to destroy the world, a powerful force that not even she could stop anymore. Leaving her in a room destroyed swiftly emptying of agents struggling after their target. Glancing swiftly down at her stomach she was terrified to see blood oozing out of various incisions from the glass that had attacked her in the explosion. Coming out thick and fast, "Loki." It was a whimper. Her body started to slide down the burning wall slowly.

"He is gone to avenge you." Thor suddenly announced his arrival. Loki had already made him aware of SHIELD's trickery. Dressed in all of his wondrous armour and ready for war, Thor laid down his hammer and gently arranged Max so that she lay in his lap. To move her anywhere would be detrimental to her safety, it could imbed the glass in more. Thor could do little else but hold her in her anticlimactic, but no less honourable, death. All was silent for a few moments.

"I heard he tried to kill you." The now heavily sweating woman struggled to say from Thor's arms. This was not a situation he was comfortable with but Loki had asked with a parting glance as he'd led the agents away from her. Loki needed this revenge otherwise his anger would bounce back on Max and possibly hurt her further if he tried to heal her now. His magic was unpredictable when his emotions were no longer in his control. He would be back to heal her however. Of that they could be sure. Thor glanced down at her. She was definitely dying. He debated on revealing whether or not he tried to destroy an entire realm…

"Not just me…" Thor somehow managed to smirk, as if it were all some distant memory, some fond prank the God of Mischief had played that they could all laugh about afterwards. Thor, despite being the God of Thunder, was not of a stormy disposition and could forgive him almost anything. Not that he'd ever show it which was probably what Loki had needed most in retrospect, "he tried to kill the Frost Giants, Realm included."

Max smiled weakly, an attempted chuckle aborted by an upchuck of blood, "when we first met he told me that he only ever killed _en masse_. That's not really even funny though is it? It's wrong. Do you think that makes me a monster?" The desperation that entered her eyes at that moment told Thor that this was probably one of her deep-rooted fears. That she could love a killer, even if he was a God or a broken individual. Did that make her a monster too?

"No." Thor said gruffly, because that would make him a monster too. He still loved his brother, "I think it makes you kind."

"Thank you Thor. For forgiving him." All of a sudden her breathing started to labour much more heavily than it had been. The numbness she was feeling from the wounds was spreading to her entire body, "I wish…" another heaving gasp. Her fingers clutched his free hand in sudden anguish, knowing what was to come and just needing someone there, "we'd met sooner."

Thor felt tears prick his eyes. This wasn't how it was meant to go. He was meant come back, have Loki open the Bifrost again with the Cube and they would all go back to be happy. Odin may even have allowed her immortality. Hopelessness prompted him to say, "I watched over you in Asgard. He loved you. More than he may ever love another maiden again."

"Well then I have a God for a guardian angel and a God for a lover. I think I did okay." This was her last coherent whisper before she gave his hand a tight squeeze and her entire body went slack. And then the SHIELD agents finally entered what was left of the room, a flash of supernatural green in the eyes of the one that checked Maxine told Thor that Loki had disguised himself to disappear. Loki let the leader survey the scene who then ordered Max to a hospital, obviously a friend of hers in her SHIELD days, and then he disappeared leaving a mournful, anguished noise behind him.

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><p>Maxine Laufeyson lived to fight another day of course. In a way.<p>

"Damn it Loki! This is getting ridiculous! Just one time I want to keep my memory! _One_ time!" Were the last words that Thor ever heard a spirited Max yell. She was staying in SHIELD quarters as bait, unharmed, after her episode in hospital. Thor had been roused from his slumber by an excitable sounding bang on his wall. Creeping as softly as he could, gentle giant that he was, he pushed open her door, conveniently joined to hers, to see what was happening. Loki was kneeling by her bed, in Midgardian clothes, dressed in the clothes that Max loved. His large hands were placed on the sides of her head but she was struggling against the grip, flailing, angry tears streaking her face. Thor automatically understood what was going on but didn't know how to stop his stubborn brother. Judging by Loki's hastily arranged clothes neither of them had skimped on the goodbyes.

"I love you." It was the first time he had ever said it aloud and it was with such gravitas. Max instantly froze and let a hand gently touch his cheek in a smile. Before collapsing when Loki lightly squeezed the sides of her head, taking away any form of him from her mind, and disappearing with his last memory of her loving smile.

She stayed with SHIELD, a lost little girl. For a few days she'd fought against the block on her memory so hard she'd cry. Steve Rogers pleaded for her not to, considering this for the best, the only good thing Loki had ever done in his eyes. Max remembered him and through his gentle, oblivious-to-what-he-was-doing coaching, she became placid and morose. Max gave in to her overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. Her pregnancy, which she had never quite managed to tell Loki, was a complete mystery to her. She didn't know the father and felt almost no attachment to the growing child but did wonder how it survived her wounds. Thor did not tell her that the offspring of gods were never harmed by such measly, human wounds. But that would only confuse her more.

It was worse for Thor to watch. He had to watch Steve look after his brother's wife, on whom he so obviously had a slight crush. Admittedly they had only known each other briefly on Midgard but Thor knew her best from watching her on Asgard and the confused was not _Max._ He had to work with the very organisation that had ruined all chance of happiness for Loki. He had to work with them in order to find Loki and bring him home, to Asgard and to Max.

After all, Loki was still his brother.

And Maxine Laufeyson was still his wife.

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><p><strong>AN **_didn't really think I'd have a happy ending did you? ;)  
><em>

_I had to do it again, I'm sorry_


	9. Epilogue

_I had wanted to wait until April/May to clear up the reasoning behind the second memory loss.  
><em>_But the Avenger's trailer was amazing and got me inspired.  
><em>_Hopefully expect a third story in May :)_

_Thank you to everyone!  
>There's a little treat, just something I thought up!<em>

_Hope you like it ;) _

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><p>"I need them to underestimate me." Loki told her in a throwaway whisper a few nights after the raid he had committed on SHIELD. Max knew of course, there was nothing throwaway about it. He had been thinking of it a while, his pensive knitted forehead giving him away. She didn't say anything, shrouded in some kind of half sleep, just grateful once more for Loki's magic. It had cloaked them; anyone who came to check her would find her asleep, if they tried to wake her they would inexplicably remember something important they had to do and rush away and they would not be able to hear anything that was happening inside of the room.<p>

"Repeat yourself." Max yawned, stretching languorously against his body, shielding a yawn with her hand. She didn't want to be lazy in their ever dwindling time again but they had exhausted each other over the past couple of days. She played the despondent but still animated Max during the day so that Thor wouldn't notice anything was truly out of place and at night Loki slipped in to her room unnoticed. Sometimes she didn't even notice until something cold pressed itself against her and pull her into him, "To repeat yourself is to lack creativity. They'll then think that you'll do it over again and expect you to do it again."

He said nothing. Instead he buried her face in his neck in a sudden and rare display of emotion but to her it just reminded of a child finding sanctuary in his mother's arms after a bad dream. With a small smirk she'd rather not have Loki see, Max placed her arms gently around his shoulders and almost instinctively started playing with his hair in a comforting manner. And there they silently lay, entwined in each other, Loki's large hand splayed across her hip and his arm wrapped around her, pulling her close. Drama, magic and danger surrounded them on a daily basis but it was a comfort to know that they could have quiet, relaxed but emotionally charged moments like this, "then you know what must happen next." Her entire body tensed and Loki was saddened by the inevitably of what was about to happen. Finally she gave a stiff nod and a reluctant murmur of assent, "tell me you're okay with this."

"I'm okay with this." Max repeated but it was with watering eyes. Loki remained silent, waiting for a response he could believe in, "Before you I was an independent woman. Hell, I worked for the top secret government agency that's aiming to destroy you. I can live without you, logically speaking. I did it before. I just wish you didn't have to make me. I don't _want_ to live without you."

"Nor I you. Do you think you can maintain the act for as long as you are under their surveillance?" He asked softly, suddenly pulling Max desperately into his arms, crushing her to his body, as if they held each other long enough they would become one entity. Magically that was possible of course but two souls in one form were barely sustainable and damaging.

"Keep you and everything you've ever said to me in there. Keep you and my family. Get rid of everything else. I'll do the rest. Even Rogers will believe it." There was a certain amount of scoffing at Steve Rogers' name when Max muttered it in to his chest, "don't tell me your plan either. Tell me you're going to destroy the world. They'll believe me if they ask and I say that."

Slowly they entangled themselves, knowing full well that soon one of the guards would make their routine check on her so they only had a limited time left. Hastily they dressed, not caring what went where, just needing to do it and get back to each other. Finally they were in position, Loki kneeling by her bed with his hands resting on the sides of her head and tears already streaming down her eyes.

"Wait! Tell me you love me. I want that to be the last thing I remember." Max cried desperately, kisses dropped all over his face punctuating her sentences. But the spell he had cast had already worn off, they were visible to the eye and he sadly shook his head. Dejected, Max cried harder and banged the wall between her and Thor's room, knowing that would catch his attention. He needed to see this for him to believe the entire charade, "Damn it Loki! This is getting ridiculous! Just one time I want to keep my memory! _One_ time!" She struggled against his grip pathetically, not hiding the fact that her cries were half-acting, half-truth. Loki couldn't stop the look of pain flitting over his face before it settled back into his stoic mask,

"I love you." He said, letting it show in his eyes so that she believed it. It was probably the truest thing he had ever uttered. She stopped, smiled in gratitude and love before touching his cheek affectionately. The touch was also forgiveness.

And then it was done.

At first it was confusing, trying to organise what was real in her head and what wasn't. The hysteria was real for the first few days. Loki's work in her mind was like a masterpiece. Alone in her room Max would smile knowingly to herself and show her growing belly the love she couldn't show in public. But outside of her room, they were none the wiser.

Loki had definitely taught her well.

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><p><strong><em>A little treat<em>**

* * *

><p>"What is this?" Loki cried in horror as Max brought him in to the club. They had only been on the road a night but as soon as Max had noticed there was a strip club about a mile from their classy hotel Max couldn't resist showing him what she considered to be the underbelly of Earth. And his reaction had been exactly what she'd been hoping for. His body was tensed as if to make a run for it the moment Max took her arm away. It was a truly seedy club, with red and black décor, designed to look like some kind of mafia B-movie. Garish lights however made it look even trashier and in the middle of the room was a catwalk type stage with a pole at the front. Max couldn't help but grin wolfishly as Loki's expression remained torn between horrified and disgusted. Indeed the club was full of all kinds of men, shy ones, men in business suits, men who looked like their body could barely contain their ego and men so disgusting even Max shivered. It was one of these disgusting men who stumbled over to the pair with a girl reluctantly clinging to his side.<p>

"You brought your girlfriend," he slurred appreciatively and even his eyes were out of focus. He could barely stand up straight and the girl beside him smiled, sharing a look with Max who seemed to understand. Easy target, "is she for sharing?" The man lunged forward with a lewd chuckle and an expectant hand. Loki was fast though. Pushing Max behind him, he grabbed the man's wrist and with his awesome godlike strength crushed the man's tiny wrist. In a low but extremely threatening whisper he said something that sent a thrill down Max's spine,

"She's mine." The man disappeared as fast as he had arrived nursing his wounded hand, an even more vulnerable target.

Max didn't say anything to it, merely squeezed his arm before guiding him a seat in the back of the club. They sat in silence for five minutes with Loki glaring around the club, Max trying to gouge his reaction and ordering cocktails, until he spoke again,

"I would not object if you were to do it…" Loki leant around the table and whispered in her ear with a sly, teasing smirk, "in the privacy of our own chambers of course." He added hastily, making it clear that no other eyes should see her but his hungry own.

"Oh hell no. You can persuade me to do a lot of things my love. But _this_ is definitely not one of them. Nice try though." Max snorted in to her cocktail at the very idea of her trying to do what these girls were doing. She lacked the… _allure_ that these women possessed. Stripping and pole dancing wasn't something all women could pull off after all.

"Are you sure I can't persuade you?" He sounded slightly dejected that she wouldn't do this for him.

"I tell you what dear; I'll do it in private if you do it in public here and now. No magic to make the whole club blind, people _must_ watch." As the challenge was issued, Loki's face visibly paled – paler than Max even thought possible. He shook his head quickly, horrified at the very idea of stripping himself of his godly dignity in the most literal sense. The subject was instantly dropped and never brought up again.


End file.
